Hospital Environment

[Kovox]

I was reading about malpractice cases and it seems as though the majority of cases involve operating on the wrong side.

How can a physician put the x ray backwards? isn't there some sort of label that says "RIGHT SIDE UP"?

In addition, for those who have particpated in a surgical procedure, the pads that they use during surgery...how do they keep count of it? I mean what if the pad is left in the person's body. Do the nurses keep count of that stuff?

Also, during an emergency, how long does it take for the surgeon to wash his hands and put on his gloves?

And are there any other hospital problems or concerns that you guys can think of or have experienced besides the fact that hospitals are the most dangerous places cuz you can get deadly infections there?


Thanks.

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[tBw]

Originally posted by Kovox
I was reading about malpractice cases and it seems as though the majority of cases involve operating on the wrong side.

How can a physician put the x ray backwards? isn't there some sort of label that says "RIGHT SIDE UP"?

Yes, often there is such a label. Sometimes the labelling is done wrong, sometimes its removed, sometimes people just don't notice I guess...often-times all such diagnostic tests such as x-rays will be examined prior to the procedure and are not on display once in the operating room. Then the doc forgets which knee needs surgery and.....

Originally posted by Kovox
In addition, for those who have particpated in a surgical procedure, the pads that they use during surgery...how do they keep count of it? I mean what if the pad is left in the person's body. Do the nurses keep count of that stuff?

you count items in to the sterile field, and you count them out. This goes for clamps as well as pads!

Originally posted by Kovox
Also, during an emergency, how long does it take for the surgeon to wash his hands and put on his gloves?

if you mean by this in the emergency room then virtually no time at all - events in the emergency room are not treated under surgically sterile conditions. The rooms themselves aren't even sterile. So between patients the doctor supposedly washes his hands, and then pulls on gloves whenever he goes to do a procedure. It's not usually the same lengthy hand washing that surgical procedures require.

Originally posted by Kovox
And are there any other hospital problems or concerns that you guys can think of or have experienced besides the fact that hospitals are the most dangerous places cuz you can get deadly infections there?


Thanks.

Yeah, the food

 

[tryingagain]

I work in orthopedic surgery every day. Typically the people in pre-op will write a big NO! on the non-operative limb of the patient. Often they will write "cut here" or "cut this one" on the correct side of the patient.

Hope that helps somewhat.

And yes, they use a dry erase board to keep track of laps, needles, 4x4s, etc.

 

[tBw]

Originally posted by tryingagain
I work in orthopedic surgery every day. Typically the people in pre-op will write a big NO! on the non-operative limb of the patient. Often they will write "cut here" or "cut this one" on the correct side of the patient.

Yes, they do that here too - but only since some old surgeon amputated the wrong leg once....

I also remember there was some case in Virginia where this happened so they instituted the writing on the part to be operated on procedure - and somehow the surgeon made the mistake *again*!?!?!? I don't know if they were writing "no" AND "yes" or just the "yes" though....

 

[Kovox]

you count items in to the sterile field, and you count them out. This goes for clamps as well as pads!
[/B]

Why do they count for clamps? Aren't clamps big enough to notice?

 

[tBw]

Originally posted by Kovox
Why do they count for clamps? Aren't clamps big enough to notice?

where I am they just count everything. No exceptions.

 

[Amy B]

As a surgical tech from years ago, I do know that in the OR, sponges (pads, as you called them)are counted and recounted by a number of people. They do stick together due to blood, so the tech and the OR nurses have to use instruments to seperate all the sponges so an accurate count can be determined. If they don't do this correctly, mistakes can be made.

However, they can end up being left in a patient if the count is made after the surgeon closes the incision.

Before a new pack of sponges is opened, the OR nurse is supposed to count the used sponges.

Hope this helps answer your question on sponges

As to clamps, you can have all sizes of instruments in surgery, so that is why you must count EVERYTHING. Without expections!